


This, Too, Will Pass

by clantail (ideallyqualia)



Category: Gatchaman Crowds
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 04:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4947436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ideallyqualia/pseuds/clantail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rui and X have debts to pay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This, Too, Will Pass

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday jessbird!

Rizumu didn't expect Rui to visit him in prison again. Rui's optimism was useless and annoying, but the image of him surrounded by Kuu-sama settled him.  

"Why are you back in prison? X told me you were seen on TV interviewing Gelsadra."

Rizumu stared right at Rui. He didn't like to fidget. "I can't just walk free. I'd be recognized."

"It's your hair. You didn't even change it on TV." Rui's mouth twitched to the side. His hands remained in his lap calmly. "Thank you for helping with Gelsadra."

"I did what I was already doing before. Gelsadra's obliviousness and popularity made him the worst ape of all," Rizumu said.

"I didn't like Gelsadra's rule either. His intentions ended up insincere." Rui's shoulders rose up slightly with a smile. "Having a mission is a sign of strength and hope in humanity. You helped us after all."

"I didn't have a mission." Rizumu realized it was pointless denying it, and he frowned. "VAPE isn't an anarchic collective," he corrected himself. "But even herded vigilantes have goals." 

Rui didn't stop smiling. "It's hard being a radical, isn't it?" 

Rizumu continued to look without turning away. He could hear a guard's feet in the distance, but he didn't check. "You're smug." 

"I used to be a radical, too. I used to be against the gatchaman."

"You're  _still_ an idealistic radical." Rizumu wanted to bring up Rui's temporary failure when he became a mindless drop in the atmospheric cloud of Japan, but he couldn't. He didn't know how to use it as a weapon instead of a childish non sequitur. He was tempted, though.

"We both want a better world. The only difference is the level of trust we have in people," Rui said. 

Rizumu scratched the side of his neck. Rui was intelligent, and a simple conversation with him was harrowing. It was refreshing, but not that pleasant. 

"Gelsadra's still alive," Rui added.

"I'm surprised he's not in prison."

"The atmosphere changed again. To forgiveness. He'd have to walk himself in." Rui's smile softened to neutrality. "Either way, we owe you one."

Rizumu didn't miss the "we" and "us" in Rui's words; it sounded intentional. Rui paused before the words each time, as if he meant something else and changed his mind.

"The gatchaman didn't want help from me at all. Only you did. You're really too kind for your own good, giving them credit like that. They don't owe me anything."

Rui stood up. It wasn't sudden, and the movement wasn't out of emotion. Rui dusted himself off and pushed the chair back to the table. "I was including X. But Hajime told me she appreciated your help as well."

Rizumu kept his discontent to his mouth, tightly. Rui didn't tease him for being wrong.

"I can't stay longer. X sends regards." Rui stepped to the door and opened it.

Rui's visit was the most interesting thing all day. Rizumu didn't succumb to boredom the way idle people did, but when he returned to his cell, he was whimsical enough to wish for something else to happen.

 

* * *

 

Rizumu was summoned to the visiting room a week later. The door opened, and he didn't see anyone walk in, but moments later the chair shook with movement.

"Here, I'm right here," an irritated voice said, and Rizumu realized that Paiman was sitting in the chair. 

"Why are you here?" 

"Hajime and Rui didn't leave me alone. If it was just Rui I would've ignored it, but Hajime always ends up right about stuff." 

At the rate Paiman was going, Rizumu didn't expect to even find out what sent him here.

Paiman waved his arm angrily. "Didn't Rui tell you?"

"Nothing." 

Paiman grumbled. "Returning to prison was considered a show of good character. They want you released." 

Rizumu's face cleared in confusion, but only briefly. "Really?" 

"You were annoying, but with crowds disabled and your identity known, you can't do anything anyway." Paiman crossed his arms. "I'm the leader of the gatchaman, and I know we won't let you get away with anything."

"Didn't you run for prime minister and lose by a landslide?"

Paiman's arms hit the table. "That's irrelevant! I'm qualified. Stop talking before I change my mind." 

Paiman coughed and hopped off the chair. "Cooperate for your friend, at least."

Rizumu's mouth fell into a frown, and he watched as Paiman struggled to jump for the doorknob. Paiman fell twice, and he gave in to thumping on the door with his arms and yelling.

 

* * *

 

Rizumu sat in a café leaning his elbow on the table, his other hand hovering on the control buttons to the livestream of the gatchannel.

Rui rarely appeared on it. No one announced Rizumu's release either, but VAPE was old news by now. Crowds wasn't in use, and Rizumu had nothing left to contend.

Paiman stood on a stool in the broadcast, gesturing uselessly as he discussed Gelsadra once again. Hajime stood next to him with a calm smile, offsetting Paiman's bluntness enough for viewers to not completely complain about Paiman. It distracted Rizumu until the door opened to the café. 

Rui chose the seat across from Rizumu, and he set his tablet on the table. It chirped to life with a crescendo and a flash of light. 

Rui didn't step around and see what was on Rizumu's computer, so Rizumu clicked to his email and pretended to be busy with key presses. 

 "I came here to apologize," Rui said. "Ever since the time when I was…unable to cooperate, X has been continuing to contact you."

It was true; Rizumu's inbox had a couple of emails from X, addressed with the same polite intelligence as X's speech.

After a beat of silence, the delay thickening X's confusion, X said, "I wanted to thank Rizumu."

"Rui, how did you know that?" Rizumu shifted in his chair, throwing a glance around the room. "How did you even know I was here?"

Rizumu's eyes and attention drifted to Rui and X arguing. X didn't sound angry or confused, the emotion only came through from the variety of pauses X made, but Rui sounded a little frustrated.

Up until now Rizumu had been taking X's existence for granted, but it occurred to him then that Rui  _created_ X. X seemed immune to the social followings of Japan, so Rizumu knew that X wouldn't fall into line obediently the way Rui did. 

Rizumu rubbed his hand into his forehead. That didn't keep X from sending him a delivery from a local bakery, ordered online and paid with Rui's money.

"Sorry, Rizumu. I think Hajime got to X."

"…It's fine."


End file.
